PTB Writing Challenge 2013
by wynndsong
Summary: These will be my entries from Project Team Beta's Writing Challenge 2013. Depending on each week's prompt, the POV will change.
1. Rocky Horizons

_Author's Note_

_This is chapter one of Project Team Beta's 2013 writing challenge. Each week is going to have a different prompt. I'm not going to try for a uniting theme, each story will be stand-alone based on whatever that week's prompt is._

_All original characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I don't own Twilight, I just appreciate the loan._

Challenge #1 – Rocky Horizon

Date Posted: 1/?/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: K+

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Mostly Fluff

Character Pairing: Bella/ Edward/ Nessie/ Jake

_Bella's POV_

Until I was almost eighteen, my world was a tiny place. There were few places I'd been, and many experiences I'd never had. I didn't want the same thing to happen to my daughter.

As she grew, I taught her everything I knew about the world and found teachers for what I didn't. So far, her education had been irregular to say the least. When my daughter reached the physical equivalent of ten, her growth finally slowed enough that Edward and I were thinking about enrolling her in school.

Before that happened, I decided it was long overdue for us to have a family trip. While fuzzy, some of my better human memories were of Renee and I in the back of a car just taking off for nowhere.

Alice saw what I'd decided, and came bouncing at me with information about five-star resorts and fine dining. I nearly sat on her. I wanted this trip to be just Renesmee, Edward, and me. I didn't want it to become some epic journey.

Not too happy, but understanding what I wanted, Alice backed off. Instead, she helped me pick places without too much sun, and within driving distance. I had developed remarkable control in the past three years, but didn't really want to put it to the test in an enclosed airplane with my daughter just yet.

With Edward and me driving through the night, we'd be able to cut the normal driving time in half. However, I worried about Renesmee being comfortable sleeping through the night in the car, especially if we brought "her" Jacob as she'd started insisting as soon as she heard me talking about this trip. He'd take up most of the back of the car by himself.

So, I started looking for places we'd get to in a day. Alice huffed over my shoulder, "You're being difficult, a real humbug. Why don't you just search for something on that?"

Laughing, I typed 'humbug park' into a search engine, only to be surprised when it turned up Humbug Mountain State Park. It was just outside Port Orford Oregon, and was only ten hours away from here. A few more keystrokes turned up a place that had Alice gagging.

I was suddenly excited. This would be perfect. A rocky shoreline begged to be explored. The mountain offered hiking and wonderful views. There would even be plenty of hunting. If we went in the beginning of October, we'd even still be at a fairly warm point but not at their busiest season.

Alice started muttering and rocking. "Are you serious? Castaway by the Sea Motel?"

I chuckled. "It's perfect. I know it's not where you'd pick, but I think it will be fun."

The morning of the trip dawned bright and clear. Renesmee woke up in the middle of our packing. She bounced into the kitchen of our cottage, wondering what all the noise was. We had explained the trip, but wanted most of the details to be a surprise. I slid her a plate of scrambled eggs that I'd started as soon as Edward heard her beginning to wake.

Mouth full of eggs, she asked, "So where are we going?"

I shook my head. "You'll see. It's going to be an adventure. Finish up and then get dressed in something warm. It might be a bit chilly, you'll want a jacket."

A knock sounded at the cottage door. Jake had been with his father last night, but he'd run over as soon as he'd gotten Billy breakfast. I slid another plate of eggs to him, figuring he'd eaten with his father but was probably hungry again. Heaven only knew we were going to be driving eleven hours, but these two would starve before we got there if I didn't fill them to bursting first.

The drive went smoothly, with us arriving at our destination in Oregon in the early evening. Our hosts at the motel were waiting to show us around the lodge we'd rented for the week. They pointed out where we could get groceries, and the best places to explore.

After they withdrew, we explored. The place was a quaint roadside stop, looking as if time had paused in the early nineties. The furnishings were nice, but not ornate. Everything was comfortable, without being overly fancy.

A few steps outside the door took us to a beach. A bench stood inviting you to pause and reflect. I took in the sight before me. A rocky shoreline ran as far as I could see, and across the water was a mountain surrounded by forest.

Jake and Nessie found a loft where they could sleep. I smiled as I heard Jake bite back some choice words as he bumped his head on the sloping roof. He was really working hard not to expand Renesmee's vocabulary in the wrong direction.

A few moments later, they spilled out the front door and engaged in a game of tag while Edward and I stood hand in hand admiring the view. I could hear my daughter's squeals and giggles as she played happily.

Edward wound his arm around me as we stood, watching the tide roll out. I leaned into him, and cradled my head on his shoulder.

After a few minutes, we lost track of time and let the world drift away. I picked up my head, and turned, pulling Edward into a melting kiss.

Jake and Nessie came bounding back, eager to go exploring.

We broke apart, reluctantly. Jake and Nessie had stuffed themselves this morning, and we'd stopped for food on the road, but they were going to need dinner soon.

I suggested, "We've got some options tonight. We could head into town and try and find someplace to eat. Or Edward and I can go into town for some groceries. You and Renesmee can come along, or stay here and hike along the beach. The tide just went out, so there may be some interesting things to be found."

Jake and my daughter decided to stay and go wandering. They figured we could add any shellfish they found to dinner.

Edward suggested, "If you two think you can last that long, we can stop long enough to grab a couple deer."

Jake nodded. "We'll be fine that long."

Edward dropped a kiss to the top of my head. "Let's go catch our dinner, darling."

I looked back at him. Dinner sounded good, but I had other things in mind.

* * *

A while later, we made it back to the lodge. Jake and Nessie were in the kitchen, looking for a pot big enough to boil the crabs they'd found.

Renesmee wrinkled her nose. "These things smell funny. I don't know if I'm going to like them."

Jake answered, "I've eaten crab a couple times. It's a bit of work, but I think you'll enjoy it."

Since Renesmee needed to keep her diet balanced between blood and food, I suggested, "How about we all go hunting while dinner boils? Let me just add a couple things to the pot so you carnivores get some vegetables with your meat, then we can get going."

"I thought you just ate, Momma," Renesmee said.

If I could have blushed, I would have; caught by my ten year old. "Well, I mean dessert for us and an appetizer for you, sweetie."

Renesmee tilted her head to the side, trying to make sense of my rapid backpedaling. "That sounds good."

We quickly found and drained two deer just as the smells wafting on the breeze announced that Renesmee's and Jake's supper was done.

We raced back to the lodge, and my daughter and best friend made quick work of their meal. We chose a movie and settled around the TV in the living room. Gradually, my Renesmee became sleepy and drifted off in her Jacob's arms.

While they slept soundly in the loft, Edward and I spent the night watching the waves roll in. We sat, arms around each other, on the shore.


	2. Nessie's New Friend

_Normally, I have my stories beta'd through Project Team Beta. However, I need to get all 4 of the first challenges posted by 02/08/2013. So I'm going to post challenges two and three unbeta'd, then go back and edit later. Sorry in advance for any errors._

_As always, I don't own Twilight. I just appreciate the loan._

Challenge #2 – Empty Glass

Date Posted: 1/31/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: K+

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Mostly Fluff

Character Pairing: Bella/ Edward/ Nessie

_Nessie's POV_

About three years after I was born, I developed the ridiculous idea that something under my bed was going to eat me.

My Mom pressed a kiss to the top of my head as I snuggled into her shoulder. "Renesmee, sweetie. I don't know what it is you've been hearing rustling at night, but you don't have to keep worrying about it. Daddy and I are going to help you fix it."

I looked up at her, "What can we do?"

Mom answered, "We're going to set a trap and catch it."

Personally, I wondered if she'd seen one too many episodes of Scooby Doo with me. Rosalie had gotten me the series as a joke. She started calling Jake Scooby and making jokes about why he always ate so much.

However, it would feel good to know what was going on.

"How are we going to catch it, Momma?"

Mom smiled. "We're going to outsmart it. You think it's hungry. Other than you, what do you think it might want to eat?"

I stopped and thought for a second. What was the most delicious thing ever?

"Cookies," I answered. "We can bake some up this afternoon. We'll just have to hide a couple so they don't all get eaten."

Mom grinned. "That sounds like a plan, then."

The next morning, I was excited to see if the plan had worked. We'd set three cookies on a small plate, and put a box over it. The box was propped up ever so slightly in such a way that it would fall over as soon as something went in.

As soon as I woke up, I immediately slid down to the floor and pulled the box we'd set up from under the bed. Eagerly, I propped up the edge of the box and peeked inside.

I hissed as a small gray shape rocketed out from underneath the edge. I scrambled after it, lunging with my entire body to catch it as it went past.

Luckily, I managed to catch the little thing without squashing it.

When I looked into my hands to see what I'd caught that had been scaring me for so long, I giggled. Of all things that could have scared me that bad, this had to be the most ridiculous.

The tiny creature nearly shaking itself to pieces in my hand was nothing more than a mouse.

I ran out to the kitchen to show Mom and Dad, but was soon reminded why we hadn't kept pets until this point. The mouse took one look at my parents and freaked.

She (or at least I was assuming she at this point) scrambled up my arm and ran for cover.

She nestled under my hair, shaking and squeaking.

I giggled at the ticklish feelings her little claws and whiskers were creating.

"Mom, Dad? This little mouse here is what was frightening me. Can I keep her?"

Mom looked at dad, questioningly. "Renesmee, you know why we can't have pets."

Trying to keep the whine out of my voice, I answered, "Animals can be friends, Mom. They don't have to always be food. I'll take care of her. We can put a cage in my room."

Dad chuckled. He said, "Well, she can't stay on your shoulder all day. Your Aunt Alice is probably already heading out to the pet store to get her supplies after seeing you decide to keep her, but for now I'm going to go get an empty glass. We'll put her down on the counter, and put the glass over her."

I nodded. "Only for a little while. I don't think she'll be comfortable like that for long."

Dad replied. "Let me get the glass for now, then we'll look around for something better for the mean time."

Returning with the empty glass he'd gotten from the kitchen, Dad asked, "Have you thought of a name yet?"

I walked into the kitchen so I could set my new friend down. "I've been thinking about Gremlin. At least, that's what I thought she was until this morning."

Dad grinned. "That sounds like a good name. Tell you what, while your Mom is getting you something for breakfast let's see if we can get some information on what to do. I don't really remember much about taking care of animals."

Mom popped her head up from where she was cooking my breakfast. "I had a couple pets as a kid with my Mom, but never rodents."

Over the counter, I saw her smiling sadly, remembering her own mother who she hadn't been able to see since her change.

My dad looked up at her, "We'll find a way if that's what you want."

Mom shook her head. "Never mind me. Go find out what you can about that critter, but get Renesmee back in here in a couple minutes. Breakfast's almost ready for her."

I knew Dad couldn't read Mom the way he could everyone else, but it looked as if they were having a silent conversation.

"Come on, Dad, let's go get the laptop. I can check while I eat."

Dad went and got the laptop from his and Mom's room. We pulled up a search engine and searched for all the information we could on mice while I ate my bacon and eggs.

"I know Aunt Alice is probably getting ready to head out for a shopping spree, but could you and Mom take me instead? It looks like we could get a plastic tub and put Gremlin in it for the moment if we poke some holes in the lid as long as we line it with some shredded newspaper."

Dad called, "Bella, how strong are you feeling today, dear? We just hunted yesterday so I don't think you're too thirsty."

Mom answered, "I'm feeling really calm today. I remember seeing a small pet store over in Port Angeles. That shouldn't have too many people around."

"Alright, then, let me call off Alice then we'll head out and get the supplies."

Dad fished his cell phone out of his side pocket and quickly dialed my Aunt.

"So you guys are adding another pathetic life form to your family?," she asked immediately.

Dad answered, "It looks that way. Renesmee is saying since she's taking responsibility for it, she'd like to go get the supplies for it. Please head back home, we'll call you when you're back so you can come see her."

"And just why do you think I'm already two thirds of the way the the pet store?"

Dad chuckled. "I've known you how long? There's no way you'd see an excuse to shop and not take it."

My Aunt's giggles were audible even on the other side of the table where I was.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll turn around. But expect company as soon as you guys get back."

"We'll see you then," Dad said.

While they'd been talking, I finished breakfast. I pushed my chair back and ran to my room to get dressed for the day. As I dressed, I heard my Mom and Dad whispering. They were still a little bit worried about this working, but were willing to give it a try. They found a tub and lined it with shredded paper the way the website had said for a temporary home.

As I got out to the living room, I saw them finish putting the holes in the lid.

Dad turned to me. "I think it's best if you're the one to pick Gremlin up and put her in her temporary home. She seems less frightened of you."

After we walked into the kitchen, I arranged myself with my hands cupped around the empty glass as Dad lifted it. This time, when Gremlin took off, I caught her easily. She still was pretty shaken up, but didn't seem as freaked out as when I'd showed her Mom and Dad.

About an hour later, we arrived at the pet store in Port Angeles. I had a list in my hand of suggested supplies, and we went inside to go and find what we needed.

"Welcome to Tiny Bubbles," the clerk greeted us. "How can I help you today?"

I still only looked like I was about four, so I was usually careful not to talk much around humans. I held out the list. "I found a mouse this morning, and I'm going to keep her. We looked it up, and it says we need this stuff for her."

The clerk smiled, seeing an adorable girl and easy sale. "Right this way, Miss. We've got everything you'll need right over here."

She looked down at the list. "A lot of this is for a tame cage mouse. I'm going to suggest a couple different things since you'll be trying to tame a wild mouse from the sounds of things. Just be careful to ask your Mom and Dad to help with it so you don't get bitten."

I worked on trying not to laugh. If only this lady knew it was the mouse in far more danger of getting bitten.

She continued on, not even noticing me trying not to laugh, "Here's a good food mix. It's mostly seeds and dried vegetables. You won't want to get your pet the pellet stuff since she won't be used to digesting that. She'll be more used to natural food. You can occasionally give her a bit of a fresh vegetable like a carrot, but you'll need to cut it up small and make sure it's not more than once a week."

The clerk, whose name tag named her Patricia, passed Mom the bag of food she'd mentioned. "Now we just need to find a cage she won't be able to get out of. She's going to be a bit more escape prone starting wild. Are you sure you want to keep her and don't just want to get a hamster or gerbil who is meant to be a pet?"

I nodded. "I like Gremlin. She's soft and cute."

"Gremlin?," Patricia asked. "That's a unique name."

Mom answered, "My daughter didn't understand what was making all the noise in her room. She thought there was some kind of boogeyman under her bed."

Patricia giggled. "That explains it. Just remember you can feed this one after midnight and you don't need to worry about giving her plenty of water to drink. You probably won't want to try and give her a bath, though. I've got some dust bath over here in case she gets itchy."

We completed our shopping just a few minutes after that. We got a cage with a solid plastic bottom, only the top half being made of wires. To keep Gremlin entertained, it had a slide that could be climbed to an exercise wheel sitting on top of the cage that would spin around in a circle as she ran. It was an observation tower and a workout center all in one.

When we got back home, Aunt Alice was already sitting and waiting for us. She had a small bag in her hands. "I couldn't resist. I ran into Forks and got a couple housewarming items for your new friend. I know you wanted to take care of it, so I didn't get much. I promise."

I rolled my eyes. Telling my Aunt Alice not to shop was like telling my Jacob not to eat. It just wasn't going to happen.

We headed inside and got Gremlin settled in her new home. I set the little hut and wood chews Aunt Alice had been brought inside the cage we assembled, then scooped Gremlin out of her temporary house.

For the first couple minutes she hid in her little hut, but as soon as my parents and Aunt left the room to let her get more comfortable, she ran right up to the bars and squeaked at me. I realized I hadn't put any food in yet, so I filled her dish with some of the mix and set it inside the cage for her. Then I made sure the water bottle was filled and hung on the cage side.

"There you go, Gremlin. I hope you'll be comfortable. Please stay and don't run away. I'll take real good care of you."

I had read on the website that most mice that were domesticated lived about two to three years. Gremlin was still fairly small, and didn't look like she was all that old. Wild mice tended to survive less than a year, so I was hopeful of a couple years at least with my friend. I didn't know what it was going to be like to say goodbye, but I figured I'd deal with that when the time came.


	3. Nessie's Easter

_This chapter hasn't been beta'd yet either. I will be going back and editing later._

_As always, I don't own Twilight. I just appreciate the loan._

Challenge #3 – Word Play

Date Posted: 1/31/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: K+

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Mostly Fluff

Character Pairing: Bella/ Edward/ Nessie/ Jake

words to use: Tomb, summit, cabbage, king

_Carlisle's POV_

Of all the people with whom I shared faith my favorite had to be my granddaughter Renesmee. She brought a wide eyed faith and wonder that was truly joyful to behold. She spent hours listening to me tell the stories of my faith, always engaging in questions that would send me on months of research.

The only time, though, I could not answer a question was Renesmee's first Easter. I had spent that Christmas telling her all about the Baby Jesus, and the time in between was passed talking of what little was known about his childhood.

Now we were discussing his ministry and his last days. Renesmee's eyes misted over as I described Jesus' lonely last night spent in the Garden of Gethsemane near the summit of the Mount of Olives. All he asked was that even one stay awake to help pass the night of contemplation.

Not one disciple was able to resist the call of sleep, and alone and feeling forsaken Jesus prayed that the cup he was about to taste be passed from him.

Renesmee pointed out if he'd been a member of our family there would have been no problems finding someone to stay awake.

When I got to the point of the story about his resurrection from the tomb Renesmee said something that would have given me apoplexy if I'd been human.

"Grandpa, you said that Jesus was human, and that he died to save everyone. But after three days his Father raised him up and made him a king in Heaven, body and soul. His Father brought him back to life."

Renesmee looked down at her feet and bit her lip as if uncertain how to phrase the next part of her question.

"Go on, I'm listening," I encouraged.

"So is God a vampire then? Did He raise His Son just the way you raised my father?"

I spluttered, taken aback. Thank God my father wasn't in the room. He would have been screaming heretic bloody murder and rushing for his torch and pitchfork.

Unnecessarily, I swallowed the mouthful of venom on which I'd nearly choked. "No, Renesmee. God is an all powerful spirit. He does not have a body, and He is neither human nor vampire. His Son, Jesus, was sent to us as a human so he could learn to be part of the world and save it."

"But why would God let his own son die? That doesn't make any sense. Even Daddy's Mommy begged you to save him."

"God so loved the world he gave his only son," I quoted. "It wasn't easy for Him, but God did it because that was the only way to teach people how to turn away from evil and give every part of themselves."

Renesmee looked up at me, questions still in her eyes. I didn't have any more words to give her. "Why don't we see what Grandma has for breakfast, then you can talk some more to your Mom and Dad about it?"

Renesmee nodded and held her hand out for mine. "Emily just gave her the recipe for her blueberry muffins. But could you please make sure she's got the sugar and salt straight now?"

I grinned. My wife was many things, but her road to becoming a cook had been bumpy. The last time she'd tried to make Renesmee's favorite muffins she'd mixed up the containers of sugar and salt. Since they were only props to us, Esme had dumped everything into designer jars that looked pretty on the counter, but told nothing about their contents. Only by smell and experience could you tell which was which.

Hand in hand, we walked down the stairs from my office to the kitchen. Esme had heard our conversation from upstairs, and was already pulling out the recipe and supplies.

"How about you tell me which is the salt and which is the sugar sweetie? Then you can help me stir."

Our granddaughter giggled. "Sounds good to me. Can you tell me your favorite thing about Easter while we work?"

Esme's grin spread across her face. "When I was a little girl we all put on our best Sunday clothes and had parades and picnics in the park. Everyone went, wanting to find someone special. That's how I met your Grandpa for the first time. I wasn't very happy because even though I was old enough to find someone that year, no one came to walk with me. So I decided to climb up a tree where I could watch everyone else and see what they were doing to get someone. Unfortunately, I got so fascinated I forgot where I was and fell out. I'll never forget the crunching sound my leg made when I landed. It was horrible."

I rubbed my hand across my wife's shoulders as she shuddered at the memory. Unlike many of her other human memories, this one was still clear to her.

"I was working the hospital that day since the regular doctor was out with his family. They brought Grandma in, worried she was never going to be able to walk again."

Eyes crinkling, Esme looked up and pressed a kiss to my cheek. "But you saved me. Like you would always take care of me."

Renesmee snorted. "Yuck, guys. I don't need to see that."

That did it. My wife dissolved into a fit of giggles like the sixteen year old girl she had been those many years ago. She scooped up Renesmee and tickled her. "You scamp. Shouldn't you speak more respectfully to your elders?"

Renesmee just giggled along with Esme. "Shouldn't you guys be acting more mature?"

I mockingly crossed my arms and did my best to look stern. "Young lady, do you want me to bring your parents in on this?"

"No," she snorted. "They're still probably wrapped around each other back at the cottage. That would be even yuckier to see."

_Jake's POV_

I arrived at the Cullen house to have breakfast with my favorite girl. The scent of blueberry muffins greeted me as I walked through the door. I never bothered to knock anymore, everyone was always yelling for me just to come in all the time nowadays.

Nessie's hands and face were covered with flour, the apron her grandmother had draped around her was spattered with batter. However, Nessie was grinning from ear to ear as she greeted me.

"Morning, Jakey. I made muffins with Grandma! We'll have them in the oven in a minute then you can taste one when they're done. Want some bacon and juice while we wait?"

"Sure, Ness, whatever you're having I answered."

My Nessie hopped down off the stool she'd been standing on. She looked down at herself. "Maybe I'd better wash up first."

"I'll help you, dear," Esme chimed. "Alice just brought some things in yesterday if you want to get changed."

"Hopefully nothing too pink and frilly this time," grumbled Nessie.

She was good natured about Alice playing Nessie Barbie with her, but put her little foot firmly down about pink and lacy ruffles. There were some things beneath a young lady's dignity and not to be borne cheerfully.

"Morning,Carlisle," I said. "Hopefully you've been having a good day."

"I was just explaining Easter to Renesmee," he answered. "But she had an odd question. Maybe you could help redirect her a bit."

"Yeah, sure," I nodded. "I can tell her all about the Easter Bunny. "Just don't get any funny ideas about feeding her cabbage and carrot soup. I've heard horror stories from Charlie about the year Renee tried that. It was apparently disgusting."

Carlisle laughed at that. "I can only imagine. Luckily I never tried any such thing when I was a human."

Nessie came back into the kitchen this time. She was wearing a dress and tights, but it was blue and the embellishment was minimal. Over her shoulders was a soft white embroidered cardigan.

I stared for a few moments, marveling at how grown-up she was getting. It seemed like any time had passed and she was already outgrowing the little kid stage.

Nessie reached a hand up to my cheek, showing me what to her was a disgusting pile of pink ruffly things in her Aunt's room. "My Aunt Alice went shopping. This was the most acceptable of the lot."

"It's very pretty Nessie. Just like you."

I reached down and tousled her bronze curls, knowing that would earn me a glare. Nessie was trying to assert how big she was these days."

"Jake!," she protested. "I just got all the tangles out of that. Don't you go and mess it all up again."

I chuckled. "How about after breakfast we watch a movie? If you guys don't have _The Easter Bunny's Coming to Town _I can run over to Emily's and get it. Quil left it over there after watching it with Claire."

Carlisle and Esme looked over the counter into the living room at the wall to ceiling DVD shelf standing there. Carlisle said, "We have that one. It's among our small collection."

I snorted. "Small collection my left hind leg. It looks like you guys knocked over a video store."

Esme fought back a laugh. "After you get done rotting my granddaughter's brain with that trash, we can put in _Easter Parade_. I was just telling Renesmee about Easter parades back in my time."

Grinning, I answered, "Good, I could use a nap."

Nessie swatted me on the back. "Jake! Mind your manners!"

"Yes, sweetie. You just remember yours too."

Nessie stuck her tongue out at me. "I always do."

We settled in to watch the movie. Nessie was fairly entertained, but found the Rankin Bass stop motion to be fairly childish. Her brow wrinkled as she took in the different traditions on display.

"Alright, I'm confused. Grandpa says Easter is about Jesus saving the world. But this says Easter is all about a bunny who hides eggs and brings presents like Santa. Which is it?"

I sighed. This was going to have to be a careful explanation. "It's about both in a way. Other religions make Easter about the return of spring and new things beginning to grow. Bunnies produce a lot of babies, and eggs are what baby birds come from. So bunnies and eggs got mixed up in the traditions somewhere along the way. It's nice, but if you're a person of faith the real reason for the holiday is what your Grandpa was talking about. Sort of like how Christmas is about both Santa and Baby Jesus' birthday."

Nessie looked at me, still uncertain. "Grandpa said Jesus came back to life after three days. I guess that fits more with the new life of spring than what I was thinking."

"What was that, Ness?" I asked.

"That God was a vampire."

Edward and Bella chose that moment to walk in. They met my eyes then moved on to Carlisle and Esme, wondering what in the heck just prompted that statement from their child.

I choked. "Nessie, no, God's not a vampire. Though I can see how you'd get that idea with the whole coming back to life after three days."

Nessie sat awhile and thought. "I guess sometimes we need to take stories about faith for what they are and not worry too much about the logic."

"That's a very good way of putting it, Renesmee," her father said. "Faith isn't about what we can know or see. It's about what we believe."

Nessie nodded. "Let's go check on the muffins, then watch that movie Grandma wanted to watch."

Bella went into the kitchen with us. She helped Nessie pull the muffins out and check them. They were done, so she flipped them out of the pan and onto a platter to cool a bit.

"So, Renesmee," she said. "It seems like you had an interesting morning."

"I did, Mommy. I'll tell you all about it when we get home after breakfast and the movie."


	4. My Mother, My Angel

_A/N_

_This has not yet been beta'd. All mistakes are my own._

_This goes back to fill in a moment from my story "Forever and For Always." This is a moment from the morning of Jake and Nessie's wedding._

_As always, I do not own the Twilight characters. I just appreciate the loan._

Challenge #4 – Mother's Forgiveness

Date Posted: 2/8/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: K+

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Sentimental, Two Handkerchiefs Recommended

Character Pairing: Jake

_Jake POV_

The morning of my wedding, I woke up at dawn. I didn't have much to do in order to get ready, but there was something I wanted to do. One of the guests I most wanted present wouldn't be able to be there. She had been taken from my family's lives when I was only a child, but there wasn't a day I didn't miss her.

My mother, Sarah, had been the world to me when I was little. She was there for me whenever I needed, with a smile or a hug or the encouragement I needed. I liked to think she would be proud of the man I became, but I think she'd be surprised at the direction my life had taken.

Today I was marrying the half-vampire, half-human I'd imprinted on. Our daughter, named for my mother, would be born fairly soon.

I wished my Mom could be here to see me get married, and to hold my daughter. She'd be surprised, but delighted with my choice in life partner.

_I'm sorry, Mom, that you couldn't be here,_ I thought.

Once I'd gotten dressed in the tuxedo laid out next to the bed, and eaten the waiting breakfast on the table in my suite's living room, I headed out the door to meet my family and start the day.

Dad and Rachel were waiting for me in a courtyard just outside Marcus' suite. Didyme had built it for them as a retreat, but Marcus was happy to share it. He knew I was more comfortable outdoors, and saw that I found the place calming and comforting.

He offered to let Nessie and I have the suite once he'd been married so we'd have more direct access to the courtyard, but I didn't want to move him from the place his memories lived. I was just happy with the occasional visit.

Dad looked at me, blinking to clear his eyes. He and Rachel had set up a table with some of my mother's things on it. Mom couldn't be here, so we'd decided to have a moment to try and remember her before the ceremony. Her ashes had been scattered back on First Beach, but she was in Heaven looking down. We didn't need to be at the place with her remains to be by her side.

_Mom, I wish you could see this place. You'd think it was beautiful._

"Morning, Jake," Dad greeted.

"We thought we'd just take a moment and share a few memories," Rachel added.

Just then, I heard someone enter the courtyard. I turned, and a grin split my face.

My other sister, Rebecca, came in, carrying a small pouch.

"I brought a bit of home with me. In this bag is some sand from First Beach where we laid Mom to rest."

Now it was my turn to blink to clear misty eyes. I gathered my sister in a tight hug, "I'm so glad you could make it."

"There's no way I could stay away, Jake."

"Thanks for coming, Rebecca. It means a lot to me you're here."

Dad rolled over, and reached up to take her hand. "It's wonderful to see you today."

He reached up and took the pouch from Rebecca's hand. "Let's get started. We have to get over to the cathedral not too long from now."

He put the pouch on the table, and looked around at us. "I thought we'd get together this morning to remember the one who can't be here today, my wife, and your mother, Sarah."

I added, "I remember most her smile. It always made me feel as if I was the center of her world."

Rebecca continued, "I remember her hugs. They made me feel shielded and protected from anything, no matter how horrible."

Rachel smiled. "I remember her cooking. She taught me how to take care of my family, and make sure their needs were always met."

Billy added, "I remember her love. Her family was her world to her final day. Let's all take a moment to think in silence about the time we shared."

I walked a bit away from everyone else, and sat down on a bench. My thoughts filled my mind and spilled out of my eyes. _Mom, you gave me the most valuable lessons I've ever learned. I don't think I'd be half the man I am today without you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you more often how much I loved you while you were with me. I'd give anything just to have one more chance to tell you._

I felt a stirring in my heart as the pain I'd been carrying let go. I could have another chance. I wouldn't be able to tell my mother directly, but I could spend every day of the rest of my existence showing my family how much I cared. I could tell my wife, my Nessie, how much I loved her. I could raise our daughter to be the kind of woman my mother had raised my sisters to be.

There wasn't a way to go back and undo choices that had already been made. I could only go forward. With that, I left the courtyard and went to the cathedral for my wedding.


	5. School Days

_A/N_

_This is my entry for the fifth PTB writing challenge._

_As always, I do not own Twilight. I just appreciate the loan._

Challenge #5 – The Limerick

Date Posted: 2/17/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: K+

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Mostly Fluff

Character Pairing: Jake/ Nessie

_Jake's POV_

About six months after Nessie had been born, when the dust had settled from the Volturi's visit and it was clear she wasn't going to have only a few years of life, I decided it was time to do something with myself. I couldn't spend forever sitting around, taking advantage of the Cullens' money. Eventually, I would want a family of my own, and I would need to be able to support them.

I'd dropped out of school because I wanted to spend every minute I could with Nessie and because of all the extra patrols I'd been running. It seemed like I should go back and finish but, quite frankly, the idea of going back to the reservation high school depressed me. It never seemed like there was much to do there, nor did I ever really seem to learn much. And the food really, really sucked. In the new zeal for 'healthy' living it was tasteless and there were never big enough portions. Even with packing my own lunches, I didn't know how I'd survive the monotony day to day without going nuts.

The Cullens offered to financemy tuition if I enrolled in a private school, or have my residence transferred to their address, but I didn't want to be looked at the way I was at Forks High School. There, I was the unknown reservation kid who was too big for his own good and might become dangerous at any second. I had no illusions: it would be different no matter how much bribe money the Cullens paid for me to go anywhere else.

So, I enrolled online to get my GED, and for appearances, Esme signed off as if she was home-schooling me along with her "daughter" Renesmee. I was welcome at their place for lessons, and to go fill out tests and other paperwork occasionally. Otherwise, I was left to complete the courses online at my pace.

It was a great arrangement, and I had to admit I was thrilled with it. Jasper agreed to help me with some of my rough spots in history, and the doc with my sciences. It was unusual, to say the least, to learn these things as they'd happened in real life rather than the way they'd been written in a book.

I would have loved to see the examiner's face if I ever wrote down any of the stuff I'd learned.

One day, I was sitting at the dining room table with Nessie and Esme. We had some essays due and were working on creative writing. Esme pulled out a section on limericks and started talking.

I'll admit, I lost interest fairly soon. We'd already started to cover this when I dropped out. Nessie brushed her hand over my arm, showing me how bored she was too and how much she just wanted to get outside and run.

Grinning, I slid out a piece of paper. Across the top I wrote, _There once was a girl named Nessie,_

I slid the paper over to her, and she got the idea quickly; I wanted her to add the next line. She wrote, _Whose room was nothing but messy_

We kept sliding the paper back and forth, rolling our eyes and trying not to show just how desperately bored we were. The limerick built, line by line, until Esme finally glared and narrowed her eyes.

"Do you two have something you'd like to add? Or should I assign you to write ten pages of limericks each?"

She just about fell apart laughing at Nessie's and my twin looks of horror as I handed our paper over to her.

"Well, I see you have the point of this lesson quite well. This is rather inventive."

She began to read, "There once was a girl named Nessie, whose room was nothing but messy, her best friend Jake, said please for my sake, clean this place up soon, it smells like my room."

Esme chuckled. "I don't think your room smells quite that bad, Nessie, and you guys could use some work on rhythm, but this a good start. I'd probably grade this about a B."

She looked up and out the windows where Nessie and I were staring longingly.

"How about I fix the two of you some lunch, and while I do, you run for a bit. We can work some more on this when you come back."

Nessie slid off her chair, practically squealing with glee.

She sped out the door, and I took off after her, making sure she was well out of eyesight when I shrugged out of what I was wearing to phase.

On four paws, I put on a burst of speed and went flying to catch my Nessie. I could hear her just up ahead. She'd climbed a tree, thinking to get the drop on me.

Unfortunately, between the noise of her giggles and the shaking of the branches around her, I could tell exactly where she was.

Casually, I continued forward, acting as if I had no idea at all where she was. When she did leap down, I stepped aside at the last second so my darling wound up missing me by inches.

I turned, rubbed her with my cold nose, and bathed her face from jaw to hairline with my tongue.

"Gross, Jake," she yelled.

My jaws lolled open in a wolfy grin. I woofed a chuckle and took off running.

Nessie wasted no time in giving chase, determined to get me back.

This time, she had a more coordinated plan. She flanked me, turning me towards the river, pushing me off course until, before I knew it, I'd run right smack into the river.

Two could play at that game. Dripping wet, I lunged up out of the river and graciously showered the excess water from my coat all over my darling.

We headed back to the house, me looking like a demented cotton ball, her looking like a drowned rat.

Esme caught sight of us and went running for towels. "What on earth," she stammered as she wrapped Nessie from head to foot.

"Both of you, you're taking a bath right now. Nessie, you're filthy, and Jake, you smell like wet dog."

The normally reserved and polite Esme clapped a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be rude, but I really do see now what everyone complains about."

Nessie dissolved in a fit of giggles. "It could be worse; try being at First Beach on a swimming day with the pack."

I ducked upstairs, showered off quickly, got dressed in my spare clothes, and went back downstairs. "At least it's not as bad as the time Emmett went hunting for bears and found a family of skunks instead," I replied. "I think we bought all the tomato juice Quil's mother had at her store that day."

Chuckling, Esme shook her head. "That's enough talk about body odor. I'm going to take Renesmee up for a bath. Keep an eye on lunch so it doesn't burn and work on your essay while you're waiting. You both have a test due next week."

I wandered over to the kitchen where I could smell something delicious coming from the oven. I opened the door and saw a pan of lasagna. It was just starting to bubble and was not close to being done yet. So I closed it and turned back to my work.

Ugh. Only three more months and I'd have my GED. There was a local garage owner who was looking for help. I'd been working there off and on, but he couldn't hire me officially until I had my GED and could start work on a mechanic's certificate. For now, he had me helping out with paperwork and running the front of the shop. I'd gotten to know the regular customers and figured I could be quite happy working there. It wouldn't be fun to be away from Nessie eight hours a day, but if Alice helped me manage my pay, I could turn it into quite a sizable start for us.

I heard Nessie upstairs, splashing as she cleaned up after her unexpected shower. Thinking of Nessie, I sat and wrote.

_There once was a boy named Jake_

_Whose life was no piece of cake_

_His heart, it was shattered_

_'Til he found what mattered_

_The one he'd die for her sake_


	6. To Life

_A/N_

_This is my 6th writing challenge entry. As always, I don't own Twilight, I just appreciate the loan._

Challenge #6 – The Inanimate POV

Date Posted: 2/27/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: K+

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Mostly Fluff

Character Pairing: Bella's Rocking Chair

_Bella's Rocking Chair's POV_

I wasn't a young chair, by any means. It had been a half century or so since I was made for Marie Higginbotham. My seat and back had been replaced once, before I was moved into Bella's room in Forks, and my rockers were worn to a smooth satin finish by years of use.

I'd been moved about a bit in that time, but I had never been moved anywhere like where I now stood. This place was a castle, with stone walls and floors, completely different than the cottage and houses where I'd been before. Enormous windows looked out onto a balcony rather like the one from _Romeo and Juliet_.

Ah, yes. I remembered that play. Bella had spent hours reading it, and then Edward had leafed through its pages for several nights while keeping vigil over her sleeping form. Both had muttered favorite lines to themselves, trying to make the story fit into their own lives.

Like the doomed star-crossed lovers in the play, Edward and Bella were never meant to be together. They came from two entirely different worlds. To live, Bella would have to die. The Volturi had demanded she be turned into a vampire to protect their secret. Edward tormented himself every hour of every day about what he'd have to do.

He delayed the inevitable with his condition of marriage, but Nessie's arrival changed everything. During the birth, Bella's body was damaged to the extent that it was beyond repair by human means. In order to save her, Edward had shot his own venom into her heart.

Bella turned out to be a natural mother. It was as if she was born for it; although, up until the day her daughter came into the world, she never knew that being a parent was what she wanted.

She moved me from the house where she'd lived with Charlie to her cottage so she could rock her baby, Nessie, to sleep. I sat in the nursery, next to Nessie's crib. Bella insisted that Nessie be called by her full name, Renesmee, but just about everyone else used the nickname Jacob had given her, including me.

As Nessie grew, Jake sat in me to keep watch over her sleep when her nightmares of the Volturi raged. In time, she outgrew the terrors, and Jake went back to his father's home.

In this new place, Volterra Castle, Nessie would rock her twins to sleep. I found it rather ironic that Nessie now filled the shoes that once filled her with dread. Until she could find others to take the reins, Nessie had to become that which she detested.

I sat between two hanging bassinets ¬ one draped in blue and the other in pink. A four-poster bed on a pedestal was placed directly opposite from me. Floor to ceiling windows were set into the stone walls on either side of the bed. Carpets, blankets, pillows, and tapestries tried to soften every surface they could, but this was still a space that had clearly not been built with little ones in mind.

My attention perked up as soon as I heard the babies stirring. Nessie and Jake were just waking up for the day but hurried out of bed as they heard the cries of their twin children.

Sarah and William were impatiently demanding to be fed, so Nessie settled down onto me. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders in case of early morning visitors and then brought one baby, then the other, to her breast to nurse.

Jake took care of their soiled diapers before the rest of the family bustled in for the day. Alice was brandishing matching outfits, and everyone else was bickering over whose turn it was to hold the babies.

Nessie went back to recline on the bed. Two days after the birth, she was still a little sore and feeling rather worn out. Having seen both Renee and Bella, I knew one baby could be quite a handful; two were exhausting.

Jake held up a hand to halt the onrushing crowd. "Let's settle down so Nessie can sleep a while longer. These two could use a bath before getting dressed for the day. Bella, Rosalie, and Esme, you can help. Alice, you can get them dressed when they're clean."

Everyone left the room. I could see the family just inside the bathroom, and I heard water running as Jake started the bath.

Since I couldn't hear or see the group in the bathroom very well, I turned my attention back to Nessie.

She'd curled up on the bed, bronze curls spilling over the pillow. The eyes that so perfectly matched Bella's human eyes fluttered softly as she faded back to drowsing. As her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother had learned before her, Nessie had found it best to rest when she got the chance.

After a few minutes, the group came back out of the bathroom with two freshly cleaned and happy babies. Jake pressed a kiss to Nessie's forehead, and she rolled to look up at him.

"All ready for the day?"

Jake nodded. "If you don't want to go, it's okay."

Nessie shook her head. "I'll be fine. We just need to take it slow."

I'd watched Nessie on her laptop earlier, pulling information up about the Boboli Gardens in Florence. I didn't see the point in running out all over the place, myself, but Nessie thought the fresh air might do her and the twins some good. She was starting to go a little stir crazy with everyone hovering.

Jake handed Nessie a shirt and jeans. "I snuck these past the demon pixie."

Nessie swatted him on the arm. "She's not that bad, most of the time."

He chuckled. "You didn't see what she was trying to put Sarah into earlier. I forgot for a moment that my Alpha voice doesn't work on vampires when I was laying down the law about no more than half a pound of ruffles and lace."

Nessie's eyes widened. "Ugh. I do agree with you on that one. If she hadn't listened to you, recovering or not, I'd have flattened her."

Alice's objection could be heard floating down the hall, but it was soon quieted by the rest of the family.

Nessie called, "Uncle Jasper, no messing with my mood today. In fact, no changing anyone's feelings unless it's an emergency."

Jasper poked his head around the door. "We're going to have some new vegetarians along for the ride, darlin'. You will have to give me leave to deal with them as needed."

Nessie nodded. "That's fine, but that must be the extent of it for today."

I didn't understand what Nessie was talking about at all. Messing with moods? Nothing that Jasper ever did had changed the way I felt.

Perhaps I'd picked up more over the years from Bella than grubby fingerprints. Maybe people found me so calming because I was a shield like her.

I settled back into a doze as, having dressed for the day and packed their diaper bag, Nessie and Jake gathered up the twins as well as any still lingering family and left.


	7. A Boy in the Bath With Bubbles

_A/N_

_Here's challenge 7. As always, I don't own Twilight, but I enjoy the loan._

_Warning - this chapter is still fluffy, but it's going to more than earn the overall story's M rating._

Challenge #7 – Valentine's Loos

Date Posted: 03/04/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: M

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Mostly Fluff

Character Pairing: Leah/ Nahuel

_Leah's POV_

I wasn't born a bitter harpy. There was a time I didn't feel the need to make those around me just as miserable as I was.

I usually thought of my life as pre-Sam and after-the0fall. Before Sam, I was a pretty normal person. When Sam left me for Emily, my whole world shifted. A giant crater was carved into my chest, and I thought nothing could ever fix it.

My world shifted again the day I met Nahuel. I looked into his dark brown eyes and everything changed. He became the gravity that held me to the Earth, my reason for living, even though he was a half-vampire, and by all rights, I shouldhave hated him.

Far from him regarding me as an enemy, it seemed almost as if the imprint went both ways because all he wanted was to make me happy. When I requested space to adjust, though it visibly hurt him to be away from me, he willingly gave it because it was what I needed.

However, the pull of the imprint wasn't going to let me resist him forever. Eventually, we formed a friendship that later blossomed into love. At Jake and Nessie's wedding, I gave Nahuel a promise bracelet with a pledge to stop pushing him away and see where things went.

I wasn't entirely sure whether we were really dating anymore or had moved in together. Most of our nights were spent together talking, and Nahuel said he slept best if he was next to me. I liked the way he felt and the way he smelled, so I allowed it. Most of his stuff had now been moved to my room since it was more convenient.

Tonight was going to be interesting. Because it was Valentine's Day, we had arranged a formal date. He wouldn't tell me where we were going or what we were doing, only that it was a surprise.

Getting ready for the night, I decided a hot bath was a good idea. I could relax instead of worrying about what was going to happen.

Just as the water began to turn tepid, I heard a knock at the door to my suite.

I swore under my breath. Nahuel was early.

"Leah?" Nahuel called from the door to my room.

"I'm in the bath. Come in and sit down while I get out."

I heard him come into the room, but then my jaw dropped open as he waltzed right into the bathroom without even a warning. My body clenched as I drank in the sight of him. His pants molded to every detail, leaving nothing to my imagination. The top few buttons of his shirt were still undone, with his hair braided back so I could see his rippling chest.

He wielded a gorgeous bouquet of lilies and orchids in front of him like a shield, and I remembered his first attempt at a peace offering. It hadn't gone well, and apparently, he was still half afraid of my reaction.

Seeing that I didn't immediately erupt in fury, he relaxed back against the door, grinning.

"Don't do that, the knob freezes," I warned just a little too late. My heart sank as I heard the door closing.

Horrified, Nahuel immediately reached out and began trying to open the door. It was no use. The doorknob was frozen and not budging a millimeter.

He turned to me, and said, "You or I could have this door down in a second, but I'm afraid it would cause irreparable damage. It wasn't my plan for the night, but I can't say I mind spending the time in here admiring the view."

I rolled my eyes. "Perhaps you ought to keep a handle on your hormones. Hand me that towel and I'll see what I can do."

While Nahuel continued to fidget with the door, I climbed out of the tub and wrapped myself in the towel he handed me.

I went to the door and ratted the doorknob a few times, hoping against everything that it would open. "My vote is to bust this door down, but that would probably bring down all sorts of drama about the centuries old architecture we'd destroyed. You wouldn't happen to have your phone with you, would you?"

Nahuel fished around in his pocket, then shook his head. "I have a surprise I was wanting to pull out later, but no phone."

"Unfortunately, my purse is out in the bedroom, so I don't have my phone either. I'm presuming someone is eventually going to come check and see why we're not wherever we were supposed to be, so we'll get rescued sometime this century." I sighed and sat down. "That just leaves us with what to do in the mean time."

"That looked nice, what you were doing before," Nahuel said.

"A bath? Surely you've had one."

He shook his head. "I've gone swimming, and I've had showers, but I've never just laid there like that and soaked.

I smiled. "We definitely need to fix that, then."

I drained the lukewarm water from the tub and refilled it with hot water. For good measure, I added some bubbles.

Looking back over my shoulder at him, I dropped my towel and plunged in. "So are you planning to join me?"

For all my clothes-shredding with phasing on the fly at the drop of a tantrum, Nahuel had never seen me naked. He was obviously distracted and trying to take in the view. I was flattered.

I chuckled. "The water's going to get cold if you wait much longer."

Nahuel got the idea and slid out of his clothes. He joined me in the water, claiming my mouth in a kiss as he got in.

"Hitsli li chichikola," I murmured which meant "make me yours" in Quileute.

"Lawiskal," Nahuel answered. "I will happily make you mine now, forever, and always."

I was stunned. Even while I decided how much of my life to share, this man was doing everything to make me happy. He'd even learned the Quileute language.

Our lips molded into one, tongues dancing frantically. My heart sped and threatened to pound its way out of my chest.

Nahuel's hands reached around and buried themselves in my hair. I moaned at the feeling of his fingers sliding through and gently tugging. I leaned even further into our kiss and pulled him closer to me.

I moaned into his mouth and let my own hands go wandering across his glorious landscape. Every curve fit perfectly into my hands, and each caress had me tingling from head to toe.

"Now I see why people like doing this so much."

"It can get even better," I murmured.

"Wait," he panted.

I silently groaned. _Please don't let him be worried about stealing my virtue or some such nonsense._

He saw the disappointment in my eyes. "I have no intention of stopping you. However, earlier you made a pledge to me, and now I'd like to make one to you."

He leaned over the edge of the tub and pulled something from the pocket of his pants. I saw him open a small, square, velvet box and gasped at the ring inside.

"Leah, my love, will you marry me? I vow to stay by your side forever and always, no matter how much of a chase you lead me on first."

I could only stammer and nod. I was terrified of being abandoned again, but something about Nahuel made me think it might not happen this time. He'd stayed with me through all the turbulence of my reaction to the imprint, and he had been waiting with care and love at each step.

Nahuel slipped the ring on my finger and trailed kisses along my neck and shoulder as he let the box fall to the floor.

"I wouldn't want to presume, but it seemed like you had something in mind earlier."

"I did," I panted as his fingers dipped under the water and began to tease.

I showed him exactly what I had in mind as I wrapped my hand around him, bringing him to the edge.

Grinning, I paused. "Are you sure you're okay with my stealing your virtue?"

"What virtue, Leah? Until you, I never even knew I had a soul worth anything."

"You have virtue, somewhere, I'm sure. But patience and chastity aren't either of our strong points."

All conversation stopped as I hovered over him, ready to take the next step into our future.

"I love you, Nahuel."

"I love you too, Leah."

I shifted my hips so that he entered me. Gently at first, I rocked up and down as I got accustomed to the sensations crashing through my body. This wasn't my first time, but it had been so long it felt like it.

Nahuel reached a hand up to stroke the side of my face. "You okay?"

I nodded. "I'm very okay. It's just been awhile."

"Just let me know if you need me to slow down."

I chuckled and marveled at what that did to the way we were connected, "Slow down and I'll flatten you. This is perfect."

Nahuel grinned. "As you wish."

It might have been hours later, but eventually, we dozed off still wrapped around each other. When we woke up, the door had been taken off its hinges and a note was taped to it.

_"You looked too peaceful to disturb. Congratulations." _I read the note aloud to Nahuel, and he grinned.

"Well, that solves the problem of telling everyone. The whole castle probably knows by now."

"People gossip like old hens around here. They're probably already planning the wedding."

"I'm sure she's got some giant gown she's planning on stuffing you into. Somehow, I don't see that working out."

I grinned. "No, I don't see that working either. Would you be okay having the ceremony on First Beach, then you can take me to see your home for the honeymoon?"

Nahuel nodded. "We can check on some of my sisters, and I can introduce you to some of the people in my mother's tribe that I've been working with."

"That sounds wonderful. Do you think we could get it all put together in a month? I don't think I want to wait."

"We can manage that. I do think you should accept at least some help with shopping. There are some things I'd like to see you getting out of."

"Fine. But there is no way I'm wearing a gown bigger than I am. I'm not even sure if I want to wear white."

Nahuel's eyes took on a devious glint. "I've heard that some people don't wear anything to get married."

I shook my head. "There's no way I'm going down the aisle buck naked. But I was thinking maybe silver or gold instead of white."

"Whatever you choose will be beautiful. As long as you're there, and I get to keep you for the rest of time, I'll be happy."

Nahuel leaned down and claimed my lips in a searing kiss. We didn't talk for the next several minutes, as our bodies took over and prompted us to continue our activities from earlier.

Unfortunately, my stomach chose that moment to growl. I hadn't eaten since lunch.

"I had planned to take you to dinner in Milan," Nahuel said.

I put a finger over his lips. "Our Valentine's Day was perfect. Why don't we see what we can rustle up from the kitchen?"

Nahuel looked down at my still unclad state. "As enchanting as I find the view, perhaps you should find something before you go out."

I looked down and blushed. "Whoops. I'll be right back."

Once dressed, I went down and got us a tray from the kitchen. It was loaded with my favorites, steak and pasta and gelato.

Nahuel was waiting when I got back. He'd moved a small table and some pillows into the bathroom. He'd set the table with flowers from the bouquet he'd brought earlier.

"It's not the dinner I planned, but I hope you like it," he said.

I stopped his lips again. "As long as I'm with you, it's exactly what I want."

Breaking off the kiss, he chuckled. "I've never spent a Valentine's Day in a bathroom, but it made me happy to be with you."


	8. Going on a Dragon Hunt

_A/N_

_Heading back into the fluff, this is a lot tamer than the last chapter. As always, I don't own Twilight. I just appreciate the loan._

Challenge #8 – Talk My Ear Off

Date Posted: 3/7/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: K+

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Mostly Fluff

Character Pairing: no pairing this time, the entire Cullen clan's involved

_Nessie POV_

"So what are we studying today?" I asked Grandma Esme as I arrived at the main house.

"It's time we went through some of your biology requirements. Jake has his GED test coming up soon, and from the practice test we ran through, there were a couple areas to catch up."

I nodded. "Daddy was reading me a book about dragons last night. Are there any animals like that? I think hunting them would be fun, if there aren't too few of them around."

Jake walked into the room at that moment. "You want to go on a dragon hunt, Nessie? I'm not sure how we'd pull that one off, but let's see what we can do."

We walked over to the laptop Grandma had set out for today's lesson. "So how do you guys want to look this one up?" Esme asked.

Nessie shrugged. "I think we should just type in 'dragon hunt.'"

Dad walked in and frantically shook his head. "Some people use that term in not such a nice way, sweetie. What kind of dragons do you want to hunt?"

"What kind of dragons are there?"

Esme answered, "That's something you need to find out."

I typed in 'living dragon' on the search and soon found something called a Komodo dragon, then turned the laptop around so everyone else could see.

"I found something called a Komodo dragon. They don't look very yummy."

By this point, the rest of the family had arrived for the day and settled around the room.

Uncle Emmett added, "But they look cool. I wonder what it would be like to hunt one."

I wrinkled my nose. "Is there anything you don't want to drink?"

He thought for a second. "Not really. It's more about the hunt, though."

I kept looking for more information on Komodo dragons. "I found something interesting," I announced. "They're a lot like you guys. Komodo dragons are venomous."

Mom frowned. "I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to try and catch one, then. We don't know what the venom would do to you."

"I'll be careful, Mom. Besides, we haven't gone anywhere but shopping in forever. The last time we went anywhere other than a mall was before I started school."

I turned and typed some more. "Komodo dragons are in Indonesia, so we'll have to keep everyone indoors except for at night unless it's cloudy. Hmm. I wonder how often that is."

Alice started looking distant as she tried to scan for possibilities while I continued searching. "It looks like January is a month that has some monsoons, though the sun still appears occasionally in the afternoon."

Alice's attention finally returned to the present. "I can't see any major disasters if we do this, but it's a bit fuzzy. I presume Nessie wants Jake to come along. I don't think it would hurt if we went for a day or two."

Grandpa added, "If we go in January, I can write a note to excuse Renesmee from school. They'll believe it if I say she has the flu. It would probably look more normal anyway."

Aunt Alice picked up the other laptop Jake usually used for his studies. "There are some beachfront resorts that look promising. Nothing like the place Bella, Edward, Jake, and Nessie went to on vacation."

Mom and Dad looked at each other. "As long as we can keep Renesmee from getting bitten," Dad said.

Jake chuckled. "I'll be there. Do you think I'll let one of those freaky-looking things get anywhere near Nessie?"

Mom laughed. "True. I don't think I have any objections. Jake, when do you start at the garage?"

"Next month," he answered. "After I take my GED test, I start. But I think I can get out for a couple days."

Esme pulled out a binder from her desk. "I don't see anything coming up in the family schedule. Carlisle, you have some days off from the hospital coming up on January eighteenth through the twenty third."

Aunt Alice bounced. "There are some fashion shows being held in Paris about that time. Would anyone mind a pit stop?"

Both Mom and I glared at her, but she was beaming. Mom rolled her eyes but asked, "One day only?"

Aunt Alice nodded. "That's fine. We don't even have to stay overnight."

Mom looked at Grandpa. "Does anyone in this family know how to fly? I'm still not too sure how I'd manage on a commercial flight."

Grandpa nodded. "We actually have a jet in the family, and all of us except you, Renesmee, and Jacob have pilot's licenses."

Mom took the laptop from Aunt Alice. "Just what are you getting in to? I won't torture Alice with a place like we visited, but I don't think we should go too over the top."

Aunt Alice stuck her tongue out at Mom. "Are you ever going to get over your aversion to nice things?"

Mom shook her head. "I just don't see the sense in spending enough to support a small family for an entire year on just one trip."

Dad rubbed a calming hand on her shoulder. "I want Renesmee to see as much of the world as she can."

"Fine, we'll go with this place on the beach. It won't be too bad."

Jake headed for the door. "I've got to go tell my dad and Sam I'll be going with you guys. I also have to get the time off from work."

Aunt Alice had taken the laptop back. "Do you have enough clothes that aren't cut-offs, Jake? I can order you a couple things."

He shook his head. "I'll make sure I have a nice outfit or two. You don't need to get anything for me."

Aunt Alice rolled her eyes. "You're going to eventually have to get over your dislike of me shopping for you if you're going to be a permanent member of this family."

I growled. "If? Jake is a permanent member of this family. But, Aunt Alice, he's not your Barbie doll. He's mine."

Tinkling laughter filled the house. "So you want to take him shopping, then?"

I looked over at Jake. He looked hopefully toward the front door, relieved to be getting out of being Aunt Alice's living dress-up doll. "Sure. But we'll wait until it's closer to time to our trip."

Jake left, and everyone else drifted off to plan. "What's for breakfast?" I asked.

"What would you like?" Mom answered.

I grinned. "Bacon, but please don't cook it too much."

Mom went to the kitchen to get breakfast ready for me and said, "I'll just get it a bit crispy around the edges."

"That sounds good, Mom. And can we bring Grandpa Charlie and Aunt Sue along this time, too?"

Mom froze. "Grandpa Charlie likes to keep things 'need to know' only. I don't know how well behaved everyone will be around him."

Aunt Rose said, "I'll sit on Emmett, if I have to. We can send him and Sue off for a day while we go hunting."

Uncle Emmett pouted. "I'm not really that bad, am I?"

Aunt Rose laughed. "Please don't make me answer that."

Mom stuck her head around the corner. "Breakfast's ready."

I ran off to the kitchen to eat and left everyone else to plan.


	9. Some Things Never Change

A/N - I do not own the Twilight characters, I merely appreciate the loan.

Challenge #9 – Finish It With...

Date Posted: 05/4/2013

Fandom: Twilight

Rating: M

Genre: Canon

Content Descriptors: Fluff

Character Pairing: Nessie/ Jake

_Nessie's POV_

The only drawback I could ever see to being a half-vampire was how young I looked.

My youngest child had been fully grown for twenty-five years, and I was a grandmother, but my husband and I still looked like teenagers. Well, maybe Jake could pass for early twenties as tall as he was, but no one was ever going to believe I was older than nineteen.

So every time we moved, we had to start over from scratch with cover stories based on our apparent ages. The earlier we started, the longer we could stay in a given place.

This time, Jake and I were going to move out on our own.

Traditionally, we'd stayed with our family in one big unit, but this time it would be just Jake and I, an eighth or ninth 'honeymoon' of sorts.

Unfortunately, that meant starting out in high school again. We explained that Jake's parents had died, leaving him the house on the reservation where he'd grown up with Billy. I had been in foster care and the foster care system until moving in with him. It would be too hard to hide my affection for Jake, and I wanted to avoid the whole dating question. So, according to our stories, we planned to finish high school then marry.

Aunt Alice and the rest of the family would arrive to help plan our second wedding, but for now they were in Hanover New Hampshire, right next to Dartmouth. Mom was finally getting to attend college.

Just before becoming pregnant with me, my Mom had struck some kind of deal with my Dad about attending Dartmouth. My father had held her to that bargain across all these years, and she was now enrolled there. They still had the house they'd bought just before their wedding, and the rest of the family found another house nearby.

Dad set up residency as a doctor. Grandpa was teaching at a nearby hospital, Grandma and Alice had opened a design company, and Emmett and Rosalie had opened a garage.

Our children were still in Volterra, overseeing the new Council. They had their work cut out for them, as it had been decided to try and move to an elected democracy. Things were not going smoothly. The Volturi had dictated their rule for centuries. People were having a hard time seeing why that system had to change. As long as there was someone else out there to protect the secret and do the work, it was thought that people shouldn't have to trouble themselves. We had tried to keep things in line for years, before finally handing the reins over to our children.

Jake and I enrolled at Forks High. Neither of us had attended there before. I'd been home schooled until I was enrolled in private school, and Jake had gone to the reservation schools then gotten his GED. Neither of us had ever attended college, but we'd both taken a few classes online.

Forks High was the school where my parents met, and all of my aunts and uncles had graduated from there. Luckily, though, it was long enough ago that I could pass as a relation.

Our first day there, we were surprised to find it dramatically changed from my Mom's descriptions. The cluster of buildings was gone, replaced by a large concrete block three-story structure. Hundreds of students poured through the doors. I didn't think I would need a map, but the halls inside twisted and turned back along each other, following the old outdoor porticoes.

The first thing I noticed upon entering the office was a nameplate. It read 'Ms. Cope.'

_Could it be?_ I thought.

There had been a Mrs. Cope previously at Forks High during my family's time.

Checking the name plate again, I noted it wasn't _Mrs. _Cope. It was _Ms. _Cope. That probably meant the woman working here now was her daughter or granddaughter.

Sure enough, a young, cheerful woman came up to the desk. "May I help you?"

"Yes. My name is Vanessa Wolfe. Behind me is Jacob Clearwater. Today is our first day, so we need our schedules."

"Certainly, let me just get them pulled up for you."

Ms. Cope tapped away at her keyboard for a few moments, and then the sound of the printer filled the air.

"Vanessa, I see here you're an AP sophomore, and Jacob, you're a junior. You'll both have third period lunch and fifth period study hall."

I nodded. "We'll come back here if we have any questions. Thank you for your help."

Just then, two students entered the office. One was a blonde with long, curly hair and green eyes. The other had short, cropped brown hair and eyes hidden behind glasses so thick you could hardly see their color.

"We're here to take you on a tour of the school," the blonde said.

I looked up at her, then towards Jake. I swallowed back an unreasonable twingeofjealousy. Raising my hand to sweep my hair back out of my face, I made sure my engagement ring caught the light.

I looked the blonde directly in the eyes. "Thank you for the offer. I'm Vanessa Wolfe, and this is my fiancee', Jacob Clearwater."

The blonde stepped back a half pace at the challenge in my eyes. "I'm Rebecca Newton, and my companion is Wendy Townsend. We're from the newspaper and have become sort of the unofficial welcome wagon around here."

I grinned at her, and extended my hand to shake. She looked down at it as if it were a snake that might bite. She swallowed a few times, then finally accepted my extended hand.

I wound an arm around Jake's waist and leaned into his shoulder. "Lead on, we'll follow."

Rebecca turned with a bit of a sneer. I had probably just made my first enemy, but that was worth the smirk I saw on Wendy's face. She sensed I had taken the other girl down a peg and had done so deliberately.

Wendy murmured, "You'll have to watch out for Rebecca, but that was the funniest thing I've seen all week."

I smiled at her, and thought to myself _You only live once, but high school politics are eternal._

Aloud, I said, "I wouldn't worry about it too much. I believe I'm going to like it here."


End file.
